-day is
fuller of adventure and heroism than the life of a bold adventurer a
hundred and fifty years ago.

Frederick went to the smoking-room on deck. He found the card players,
Doctor Wilhelm, Arthur Stoss, Professor Toussaint and some more gentlemen
gathered over their afternoon coffee.

"Hullo!" they shouted when he appeared in the doorway.

The room smelled strong of coffee and the pungent odour of tobacco. In
the instant that Frederick held the door open, the wreaths of mist and
heavy tobacco smoke met.

"What's the matter, gentlemen?" Frederick asked.

"Did you operate on the dancer," someone cried, "to remove that mole two
inches from her backbone right over her left hip?"

Frederick turned pale, and said nothing. Had he uttered a single word,
the result might have been a scandal, perhaps even a duel, out there on
the high seas.

He seated himself beside Doctor Wilhelm and acted as if the shout of
greeting and the unknown man's question had not referred to him. Doctor
Wilhelm proposed a game of chess. Frederick accepted, and while playing,
he had time to choke down his humiliation and resentment. He glanced
about furtively to find the speaker.

"There are some people, Doctor von Kammacher," Arthur Stoss said in
a raised voice, "who leave their decency in Europe when they travel
to America, though that does not reduce the price of the passage."

The man at whom the remark was aimed left it unanswered.

"But, Mr. Stoss," said an elderly man from Hamburg, whose conscience in
regard to the offence thrust upon Frederick was evidently clear, "we're
not in a ladies' parlour, and we needn't take jokes amiss."

"I am not in favour of jokes," said Stoss, "that are made at the expense
of persons who are near at hand, but not present, especially when a lady
is concerned. I am still less in favour of them when they are coarse and
indecent."

"Oh, Mr. Stoss," rejoined the man from Hamburg, "everything in its place.
I have nothing against sermons, but we're having bad weather here on the
ocean and this room is not a church."

"Besides, nobody mentioned names," another man said.

Here the American jackanapes joined in the cross talk.

"When Mr. Stoss is in New York," he said drily, "he will hold services
every night at Webster and Forster's."

"Some American youngsters are celebrated for their cheek," Stoss
countered.

"Directly after the celebrated Barrison sisters' appearance, after the
song 'Linger Longe